Martell’s latest retail concept kicks off in Shenzhen

The oldest Cognac house in the world, Maison Martell, has officially inaugurated L’Atelier Martell Shenzhen in China – a flagship store dedicated to tasting, exploration and exclusive product offerings via the integration of digital and in-store experiences.

L’Atelier Martell Shenzhen is the first step in the house’s new retail concept, which is designed to be rolled out globally in due course.

The store intends to invite customers to immerse themselves in the world of Martell through state-of-the-art interactive and connected experiences. According to Martell, Shenzhen was a natural choice to launch the concept. Best known for its dynamism, modernity and cutting-edge technology, the city has “its sights on the future” said the brand.

L’Atelier Martell welcomes visitors in a warm and luxurious environment featuring authentic elements directly from Cognac. Inspired by the Atelier of the Martell cellarmaster, there is a display of more than 200 montres (glass sampling bottles), which showcase the myriad nuances of Cognac. Elsewhere, a wall of oak barrels from the Martell cooperage and selected pieces from the archives illustrate the house’s heritage of craftsmanship. These are complemented by materials such as wood and copper, evoking the Cognac-making process, which is interpreted in original, contemporary ways to show how Maison Martell “boldly transforms tradition”.

The new 160m² boutique aims to establish strong ties between Maison Martell and Shenzhen. The brand also commissioned the local art collective Jiu Society to express the vision of the House through a reinterpretation of the famous portrait of the founder Jean Martell; meanwhile the city skyline is spotlighted on a collector’s edition of Martell Noblige, available exclusively in L’Atelier Martell Shenzhen.

Personalised services and experiences contribute to a great part of the concept store. Among the highlights is the ‘Cognac from the Cask Experience’, featuring a VSOP Cognac created especially for the shop by Martell cellarmaster Christophe Valtaud. The Shenzhen Exclusive Edition is a refined blend with subtle spicy notes, which pays tribute to China and pairs with Chinese cuisine.

Customers can draw it directly from a cask shipped from Cognac into their own montre bottle, which is then customised with their choice of cork and a hand-printed label. A custom-engraving service is also available for customers to mark a special occasion by personalising a bottle of the house’s icon Martell Cordon Bleu with their chosen motif and message.

Moreover, in the shop, customers are invited to appreciate Cognac in greater depth, such as its distinctive aromas and the art of blending, via interactive installations and workshop sessions. For example, the ‘VSOP Blending Experience’ allows participants to create their own blend while experiencing at first hand the effect of different eaux-de-vie on the aromatic profile of Cognac. Cellarmaster Christophe Valtaud will also hold a live tasting session, via video link from Cognac, once a year.

The entire concept shop aims to deliver a complete experience, in which the physical and digital are seamlessly integrated in order to accompany customers in their exploration of Maison Martell. Thus, the personalised services offered by the store are also available digitally through a dedicated mini-program on WeChat, supporting and enhancing customers’ shopping experience.

César Giron, chairman & CEO of Maison Martell commented: “Today, we are proud to celebrate a new landmark in the 300-year history of our House. L’Atelier Martell is an innovative concept, which reflects our vision of elevating Cognac into an experience that puts the client front and centre. With L’Atelier Martell, we are offering our clients new ways to explore, immerse and engage. We are bringing them audacious experiences through which they can discover our heritage, our savoir-faire and our cognacs as never before.”